Delivery mechanism for article dispensing machines



Nov. 29, 1932. LARSEN ET AL 1,889,318

DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR ARTICLE DISPENSING MACHINES Filed July 11, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 |L L' I L -1 37 i 5% INVENTORS Nov. 29, 1932. H. LARSEN ET AL 1,839,318

DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR ARTICLE DISPENSING MACHINES Filed July 11, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L 1 u v Patented Nov. 29, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOUIS H.LARSE1\T,0F UNION CITY, NEW JERSEY, AND CLIFTON W. NIXON, or

' NEW YORK, N. Y.

' DELIVERY MECHANISM. FOR ARTICLE DISPENSING MACHINES Application filed J'uIy 11, 1928.

This invention relates to article dispensing machines and is illustrated as embodied in a combined vending and change-making machine wherein a rotary magazine structure 5 contains a series of article holding units, the

invention being more particularly related to the mechanism for effecting the discharge of articles from the article holding units. 7

The invention has for its object, among 10 other things, to provide for the use of individual ejectors for the article holding units,

to provide a novel pusher through the agency of which the necessary ejecting impulse can be imparted to the individual ejectors, and

1 to provide a greatly improved and simplified construction of means for operatively supporting the individual ejectors and the push er so that these parts will cooperate and function properly in a relatively small space.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel grooved table for retaining the individual ejectors in operative radial relation for free movement into and out of a position in which they can be operated by the pusher, and further the provision on the pusher of a novel coupling or retaining head whereby to transmit the ejecting impulse and yet to retain the connected ejector from getting out of position and also to prevent it from being accidently operated.

A; further object is the provision of a mechanism of the character described which will permit the free rotation of the magazine structure in either direction, and which will permit the article holding units to be readily mounted in place upon the magazine structure, as well as to permit their ready removal therefrom. 1

A further object is the provision of a mech anism of the character described which is capable of effectually causing thedischarge of two articles at a time and of efiectually causing one of the articles being discharged to engage and open a one-way protecting door for the delivery of both of the articles.

Serial No. 291,912.

At this point we will state that in illustrating a particular form of our invention as embodied in a combined vending and changemaking machine for the purpose of ejecting and of checks and coins, whether packaged or otherwise.

Other objects will appear hereinafter. The invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention Will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of thisspecification, and in which Fig. 1 represents a fragmentary vertical sectional View through a combined vending and change making machine, showing the adaptation therewith of an ejecting mechanism in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 represents a detailed elevationand section showin an article holdin unit in 7 a delivery position between the delivery receptacle and pusher, and having its ejector in operative connection with both the retaining table and pusher; I

Fig. 8 represents a transverse sectional view, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, and

looking in the direction of the arrows associated with said line;

Fig. 4 is a similarview, taken on the line t4 of Fig. 2,looking in the direction of the arrows, this view showing the annular groove in the retaining table andthe through V groove in the head of the pusher; and

Fig. 5 represents a plan and section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

For the purpose of illustration we have shown a preferred example of our invention as embodied in a combined vending and change-making machine comprising a casing 10 and a skeleton magazine structure, which is indicated generally at 11, supported therein for rotation upon a vertical nonrotary axis shaft 12, the magazine structure being composed of a lower section 13 provided with a ring plate 14, of an upper section 15 provided with a ring plate 16, and of vertically extending rods 17 which rigidly connect the lower and upper sections 13 and 15 The upper section 15 turns with a center shaft 18 by which it is suitably maintained in osition.

upported upon the lower ring plate 14 is a circular series of radially arranged article holders of skeleton form, those shown herein being of a duplex character, being composed of a front column 19 and a rear column 19. Each duplex .article holder comprisesa quick detachable unitary structure including a frame 20 in which is slidably mounted an ejector 21 adapted to have a forward or outward movement radially of the magazine structure for ejecting articles from the columns 19 and 19 into a delivery receptacle 22 and a corresponding backward or inward movement to starting position where its reduced portion 23 protrudes a distance beyond the inner end of the frame 20. The reciprocatory ejector 21 has a suit able pushing arm 24 adapted to eject from the front column 19 the lowermost article therein resting upon the bottom 26; and it has a pushing end 27 adapted to eject from the rear column 19 the lowermost article 28 which rests in the frame 20, the said article 28 during ejection being thrust against a similar article 29 which is thereby cast into the delivery receptacle 22, being removed from between its retaining means comprising a platform 30 and a spring 31. The ejector moves the article 28 far enough to be substituted beneath the spring 31 for the delivered article 29. Thus on each forward stroke of the ejector 21, two articles are ejected into the delivery receptacle, one from the bottom 26 and one from the platform 30. To a separate application filed on April 2, 1928, Serial No. 266,680, by Louis H. Lar-.

sen, one of the joint inventors-herein, reference may be had for full illustration and description of a duplex article holder of the kind depicted .herein and of the preferred means by which the same may be mounted for quick detachment.

With the arrangement above described, the article holders carry individual article ejectors and they are mounted in the magazine structure in circular series so that by turning the magazine in either direction, that is to say either to the right or to the left, any selected article holder may .be brought into delivery position behind the delivery receptacle for the discharge of articles thereinto. Our present invention, in its preferred form of construction as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, comprises article ejector retaining means in the form of a disk-shaped table 32 provided with a suitable hub portion 33 and axially holed at 34 to be received on the non-rotary axis shaft 12 and to be secured thereon at the requisite elevation by means of a screw 35 or its equivalent, passed through the hub portion to engage the axis shaft. Near its circumferential edge the table 32 is provided inwardly into its body from its top surface with an annular groove 36 in which pins 37 depending from the article ejectors are loosely received. As best observed in Fig. 5, the reduced portions 23 of the article ejectors are formed by converging the sides thereof to rounded points 38 along radial, lines in respect of the axis shaft in order to provide a compact radial arrangement of the article holders with their ejectors and one in which the ejectors for effecting the discharge of the articles must be thrust'forward from starting position; and the pins 37 are shown as depending from the ejectors near the rounded points 38 centrally thereof.

lVith the parts arranged as described, the

pins 37 during the rotation of the magazine structure in either direction slide freely in the groove 36 and the ejectors are retained in proper starting position, being restrained by said groove, which serves as a guide, against any forward movement outwardly of the magazine structure and as well against any backward movement inwardly toward the axis shaft. Moreover, in mounting or removing the article holders, the pins can be inserted in or removed from the guide groove with ease.

The table 32 is provided with a suitable outlet 39 from the groove 36 at'that predetermined point where it is necessary to allow the escape of a pin 37 for the forward thrust of its ejector when articles are to be discharged. thereby from an article holder into the delivery receptacle. The means for imparting forward and backward movements to the ejectors comprises a single elongated actuating slide 40 supported upon the table 32 for lengthwise movement in directions toward and away from the delivery receptacle. In the present instance for operatively supporting the slide 40, we show a block 41 arranged upon the table and an elongated guide plate 42 arranged upon the block 41, said guide plate and block being suitably holed to receive the axis shaft therethrough.

The'slide is shown as provided with depending guide blocks 43 having flanges 44 slidably embracing the marginal edges of th guide plate, and with a suitable lengthwise opening 45 to allow free movement astride the axis shaft.

At its front end the slide has 2": i

a central depending coupling head 46 adapted to fit loosely in.a .-r.etaining recess e7 provided in the corresponding end of the guide plate; and these parts are so arranged that when the slide is inretracted position, atransverse groove 48 therein comes opposite the groove 36 with the front abutment wall 49 occupying a position above the escape outlet 39. Each ejector, opposite its depending pin 37, has an upwardly projecting contaot;pin.50

tation of the magazine structure. When an a article holder is in delivery position behind the delivery receptacle, its ejector can be thrust forwardly to effect the discharge of articles thereinto, sincethe pin 37 can pass through the escape opening 39. Forward thrusting movement is imparted by the slide to a coupled ejector by the engagement of the rear abutment wall 51 on the head 4e6'with theicontact pin 50. Thea-rticles having been discharged, the ejector is retracted by the slide to starting position by the engagement of the front abutment wall 49 with the contact pin 50. I

As shown herein, a door 52, arranged in the delivery receptacle in line with the actuating slide and as well with any ejector coupled therewith, is openedoutwa-rdly upon the engagement therewith of an article 25 that is being discharged. This door comprises a front plate 53 and a rear plate v5l separated by a spring 55, both plates depending from a common hinge pin .56 with which they have separate turning engagement. 7 The front plate 53, which is of sufiicient length to .engage the outwardly sloping bottomz57 of the receptaclewhen the door is closed, carries catch hooks 58 adaptedto engage behind rockable latches 59 suitably mounted in the receptacle. The rear plate -54 carries cam parts 60arranged to co-operate with therockable latches 59. By this arrangement, when the rear plate '54 is engaged by an article 25, the cam parts 60 will force the latches 59 out of engagement with the catchhooks '58, thereby releasing the door-so that itxcan be swung outwardly by the force of the issuing article 25 to provide for the discharge into the receptacle of both articles 25 and 29.. It is in place .to state here that this :one-way door in association with the delivery receptacle does not, in and of itself, form part of the present application and hence is not herein claimed in and of itself, as it constitutes the on the-shaft .18and pinned at 64 to a lift shaft 65 telescoping within the shaft 18 and conrooted at its lower end by a ball and socket joint 66 with a lift rod 67. A bell crank lever 68 supported by a pivot pin 69 on the bracket 70 attached to the shaft 12, has its short arm pivoted at 71 to the lift rod 67 and its long arm pivoted at 7 2 to a connecting rod 7 3 provided with an angular end portion 174 having turning .fit in a bracket 75 fixed to the actuating slide. By this arrangement, when the bell crank actuator 61 through the engagement'therewith of a draw bar 7 6 or similar moving part is rocked forwardly upon its pivot pin 77 toward the front of the casing, the frame 62, sleeve 63 and shaft 65 with parts subjoined thereto are lifted up so as to swing the bell crank lever 68 on its pivot pin and impart a forward thrusting movement to the actuating slide 40. For repositioning these parts aftereach actuation and causing the withdrawal of the actuating slide 40 to its starting position, a hollow cylindrical weight 7 8, which surrounds the ball and socket joint 66, is attached to the lift shaft 65 to be lifted therewith, the repositioning action being positively induced by the weight immediately upon the disengagement of the draw bar 76 with the bell crankactuator 61.

Upon the upper ring plate 16 is mounted a circular series of change holders T9, of which there is one in conjunction with each article holder, in order to deliver the exact change, if any change be due, in connection with the delivery of the articles. The change is ejected from the change holders 79 by means of coin ejectors 80 operatively supported in a frame 81 and commanded by the bellactuator 61. In the present embodiment, rotary movement is imparted to the magazine structure through the medium of a-shaft 82 and pinion 83 which has driving connection with an internal gear 84. secured to the upper ring plate. Any suitable mechanism may be employed for effecting the rotation of the magazine structure illustrated herein and for partially rotating the bell crank actuator 61 illustrated herein, such mechanism for instance as that illustrated and describec in the two applications of Clifton Nixon, one of the joint inventors herein, both filed on June 7, 1927. and bearing, respectively. Serial No. 197.075, and Serial No. 197,076: orthe improved mechanism thereon illus trated and described inthe application of Louis H. Larsen and Samuel C. McKeown, the first named being thesame Louis liarsen who is a joint inventor herein, filed on April2, 1928, Serial No. 266,? 98. Cross references are hereby made to said applications.

The delivery mechanism illustrated and described herein is very simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and easy to assemble. It permits the article holders as "in the statement of invention and theabove description, and while we have, in the present instance, shown and described a specific form of mechanism embodying the principle of our invention, it is to be understood that this is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is: r

1. In a machine of the character described, a rotary article holding magazine structure provided with reciprocating ejectors, a circular element provided with means for retaining said ejectors in place while the magazine structure is rotated and having an escape-outlet at one point for said ejectors, and an actuating slide arranged to engage and actuate said ejectors at said escape outlet.

2. In a machine of the character described, a rotary article holding magazine structure provided with ejectors arranged to have individual movement, a table encompassed by said magazinestructure and having therein an annular groove-with an outlet, means on said ejectors .slidably engaging said groove and adapted to escape through said outlet, and an actuating slide mounted on said table and having a part arranged to engage and actuate an ejector moved to escape position at said outlet.

3. In a machine of the character described, a rotary article holding magazine structure provided with ejectors arranged to have individual reciprocating movement, a table having therein an annular groove with an outlet, retaining pins on said ejectors slidably engaging said groove and adapted to escape through said outlet, an actuating slide mounted on said table and provided with a head having a transverse groove therein, contact pins on said ejectors adapted to pass freely through said head groove, the walls defining said head groove comprising contact pin engaging abutments for the actuation by said slide of an ejector moved to escape position at said outlet.

4-. The combination. of an article holder, a reciprocating article ejector for said holder, a reciprocating slide engageable by said ejector so as to have a positive coupling connection therewith, to reciprocate said ejector in accompaniment with the reciprocating movements of the slide, and means co-operating with said ejector to restrain the reciprocating movements thereof except when said ejector is in coupling connection with said slide.

5. The combination of an axis shaft, an article holding magazine structure mounted to turn thereon, a reciprocating article ejector carried by said magazine structure, an actuating slide operatively supported on said shaft and engageable by said ejector, and means upon said shaft arranged to restrain the reciprocating movements of said ejector except when the latter is in engagement with said slide.

6'; The combination of an axis shaft, an article holding magazine structure mounted to turn thereon, a series of individually reciprocable article ejectors carried by said magazine structure, an actuating slide operably supported on said shaft and selectively engageable by said ejectors, and means upon said shaft arranged to restrain the reciprocating movements of each one of said ejectors except when it is in actual engagement with said slide.

7. The combination of an axis shaft, an article holding magazine structure mounted to turn thereon, a reciprocable article ejector carried by said magazine structure, a table on said shaft having said ejector in sliding engagement therewith to restrain the reciprocating movements thereof except at a predetermined releasing point, and an actuating slide on said table having a head arranged to be engaged with said ejector at said releasing point whereby to operate said ejector by said slide.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination with an axis shaft and a magazine structure mounted to turn thereon, of a series of detachable article holders on said magazine structure furnished individually with reciprocable article ejectors, a table on said shaft with an annular groove therein in which retaining pins on said ejectors are slidably received, there being an escape outlet from said groove for said pins, an actuating slide on said table having a grooved head through which contact pins on said ejectors may freely pass, said grooved head including abutment walls for engaging the contact pin of a selected ejector to be operated by said slide at said escape outlet.

9. In a machine of the character described, consisting of a casing having a doorway, an axis shaft in the casing, an article holdmg magazine structure mounted to turn on ejectors and having a grooved head for receiving the projection of any selected ejector, said slide being adapted, when actuated, to cause the selected ejector to eject an article through said doorway and a table on said shaft supporting said slide and having therein a groove for receiving the projections of said ejectors, to restrain the movement of each one of said ejectors except when it is in actual engagement with the grooved head of said slide.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

LoUIs'H. LARSEN. CLIFTON W. NIXON. 

